By Tim Lambert James Watt was a great Scottish engineer of the 18th century. He did not invent the steam engine. Instead, he greatly improved it. A man named Thomas Savery invented the first primitive steam engine in 1698. A man named Newcomen started making steam engines to pump water from mines in 1712. However,… Continue reading A Brief Biography of James Watt
Category: Articles
Roman Britain
By Tim Lambert In 55 BC Julius Caesar led an expedition to Britain. Caesar returned in 54 BC. Both times he defeated the Celts but he did not stay. Both times the Romans withdrew after the Celts agreed to pay an annual tribute. The Romans invaded Britain again in 43 AD under Emperor Claudius. The… Continue reading Roman Britain
A History of England in the 16th century
By Tim Lambert At the beginning of the 16th century, Henry VII was keen to ally with Spain. In 1501 his oldest son Arthur married Catherine of Aragon. However, Arthur died in April 1502. Henry VII’s son Henry now became heir to the throne. Henry married Catherine of Aragon, his brother’s widow on 11 June… Continue reading A History of England in the 16th century
A History of 17th Century England
By Tim Lambert England in the Early 17th Century In 1603 King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. He began a new dynasty – the Stuarts. James I never had the same charisma as Elizabeth I and never enjoyed the same popularity. However, among his achievements, he ended the long war… Continue reading A History of 17th Century England
A Brief Biography of John Milton
By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Milton was a great English writer of the 17th Century. Milton was also a great believer in liberty. Milton was born in Bread Street in London on 9 December 1608. His father also called John was a scrivener (a man who wrote contracts and other legal documents). His… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Milton
A Brief Biography of Christine de Pizan
By Tim Lambert Christine de Pizan was a great woman writer of the Middle Ages. Her father Tommaso was a famous academic and she was born in Italy in about 1363. When she was an infant Christine and her family moved to France, where her father was employed by the French king. In 1379 Christine… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Christine de Pizan
A Brief Biography of Catherine the Great
By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Catherine the Great was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin, Prussia on 2 May 1729. Her father was a German prince. It was decided she should marry Peter, the heir to the throne of Russia. She moved to Russia in 1744 and changed her name to Catherine.… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Catherine the Great
The Persian Empire
By Tim Lambert The Persian Empire was created by Cyrus II, known as Cyrus the Great (559-529 BC). Cyrus first defeated another Iranian people called the Medes, then in 547 he defeated the kingdom of Lydia (in what is now Turkey) at the battle of Pterya and he became the ruler of most of Asia… Continue reading The Persian Empire
A Brief History of Turkey
By Tim Lambert Ancient Turkey Catal Huyuk was one of the world’s first towns. It was built in what is now Turkey about 6,500 BC not long after farming began. Catal Huyuk probably had a population of about 6,000. In Catal Huyuk, the houses were made of mud brick. Houses were built touching against each… Continue reading A Brief History of Turkey
A Brief History of Trinidad and Tobago
By Tim Lambert Early Trinidad About 5,000 BC stone-age hunter-gatherers arrived in Trinidad by canoe. Then about 300 BC, more advanced people arrived. They grew crops like cassava and sweet potatoes. They also made pottery and wove cotton. However, in 1498 Columbus discovered the island. He named it Trinidad because he saw 3 peaks. The… Continue reading A Brief History of Trinidad and Tobago